1. Technical Field
The present disclosure generally relates to the field of electronic data processing and the tracking and monitoring technical objects during their life-cycle. More particularly, the disclosure relates to tracking components of a technical object and the configuration of the components when the technical object is transferred between business partners or other entities during the life-cycle of the technical object.
2. Background Information
Generally speaking, technical objects (e.g., aircrafts, cars, tanks, machines, engines, and computers) are made up of various components (and may include subcomponents) that are configured in a certain manner. A business partner in possession of the technical object may carefully track, monitor, and update information about the components and the configuration of the components during the life-cycle of a technical object. The technical object may be transferred between business partners or other entities during the life-cycle of the technical object. For example, a technical object may be transferred when one company acquires the technical object from a different company. A technical object may also be moved if it is a part that is sent out from one business partner to another business partner for repair. Business partners may be, for example, different companies (e.g., a contractor and subcontractor, a seller and a buyer), different subsidiaries of a corporation, or different departments within a company. The entities between a technical object is transferred is not limited to these examples and may encompass entities that are not contractually or otherwise related.
When a technical object is moved between different business partners, the information about the technical object may also need to be transferred from a transmitting business partner to a receiving business partner. The process of providing a technical object with current information about the technical object is typically called a handover. The process of receiving the technical object with the information is typically referred to as a takeover. If a receiving business partner needs to continue to keep track of the information of a technical object, the business partner may need to set up a new technical object structure to keep track of the information. Also, different business partners may maintain information/data about a type of technical object or a component of the technical object in a different manner. Therefore, a business partner may need to determine how to use the information provided by the transmitting business partner in the structure for the technical object after a handover to the receiving business partner. A business partner may also handover a technical object back to the original business partner that provided the technical object (e.g., after completing a repair). The business partner may provide the technical object with information stored and maintained for the technical object (e.g., during the repair). The original business partner may use the newly received information to update information that was stored by the original business partner for the technical object (e.g., before the repair).
One approach for transferring information about a technical object from a transmitting business partner to a receiving business partner is providing paper documentation describing the current structure of the technical object. The structure may include components of the technical objects and the configuration of the components, as stored by the transmitting business partner. The transmitting business partner may organize and provide the information stored in their platform(s) (e.g., enterprise asset management (“EAM”)/Enterprise Resource Planning (“ERP”) systems) for the technical object. A transmitting business partner may hand over the paper documentation to the receiving business partner. The receiving business partner may then manually enter information from the documentation into their platform(s) (EAM/ERP system(s)).
The above approach has several drawbacks. There is no standard for data exchange for a technical object between business partners. For example, the transmitting business partner needs to organize the data for transmission to the receiving business partner, which then reorganizes and reenters the data its own platform(s). Particularly, the takeover is largely a manual process. As a result, the process may become highly complex and time consuming. Furthermore, there is no automated processing that can determine which old components need to be removed from the structure of the technical data object.
Alternatively, the transmitting business partner may provide the receiving business partner with a file (e.g., spreadsheet file) including the information about a technical object during handover. The information needs to be copied and pasted from the file into the receiving business partner's platform(s) during takeover. This approach shares many of the same drawbacks discussed in connection with providing paper documentation.
Yet another alternate approach is for all the business partners to maintain data about a technical object in the same exact way using the same exact systems. This approach is highly unrealistic and undesirable. An individual business partner typically stores data in a certain way using particular systems based on their own unique business needs and preferences.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for an improved solution for the handover and takeover process. In particular, there is a need for systems and methods for simplifying the handover and takeover process and increasing efficiency of that process. Specifically, improved solutions need to increase user productivity, reduce time required set up the data, reduce probability of errors, provide visibility of takeover progress/status, and reduce time needed for initial data preparation. The solution also needs to provide a mechanism to ensure consistency of information that is tracked and monitored during the life-cycle of the technical object.